-->The new deal is a win for Russia because its assertiveness has been rewarded. It showed a willingness to stand up to the West and it got most of what it wanted. It has now notified Bulgaria, which desires to
host US military bases and which is 100% dependent on Russian gas, that it intends to change the terms of the agreement between the two nations to be more favorable to Russia and to give Russia
significant ownership of its domestic pipeline network. Romania also wishes to host US forces and it is only a matter of time before Russia places similar pressure upon its leadership.
Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and the rest of Europe are being forced to pay the price for their recent actions in support of the US in attempting to carve away at Russia’s influence in its own sphere. Russia
has an energy lock on Europe and Asia, and short of a “regime change” in Russia itself that lock cannot be broken.
Reports received on Saturday indicate that Russia’s Gazprom got a much bigger win than anyone in the West imagined in the new deal with Ukraine. Both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times report that Russia may have seriously undermined Ukraine’s ownership and control of the
pipeline network on Ukrainian territory. The new deal signed by both sides apparently gives the intermediary company, RosUkrEnergo - a little-known company that is half-owned by Gazprom - 50%
ownership of Ukraine’s domestic gas production, including its pipeline network.
“This part of the agreement means that part of the gas transit system of Ukraine, our strategic asset that provides us with an important geopolitical position,” is threatened, said former Ukraine prime minister
Yulia Tymoshenko, who has announced plans to challenge the pact in court. “This agreement betrays the national interests of Ukraine... Only a person with a huge New Year’s hangover can call it a
success.”
Russia provides very easy terms to staunch ally Belarus, and it has dealt much more considerately with the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. However, Belarus has signed over 100% ownership
of its pipeline network to Russia, and the Baltic states have permitted Russia to own significant stakes in their domestic energy system, including the pipeline networks....
<ul> ~ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Cen...0Ag01.html</ul>